John J. Batease has been charged with second-degree murder in the June death of his girlfriend’s 20-month-old son Asiah Daniel Maxam.Batease, 33, was in Schenectady County Court Wednesday morning to hear charges from a sealed indictment of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter.

On the night of June 22, Batease was baby-sitting Asiah at 611 Hattie St. when he ran across the street with the child limp in his arms, claiming the boy fell out of a playpen and hit his head. An autopsy determined the child’s death was homicide.

Batease has been in the Schenectady County Jail since the toddler’s death for unrelated criminal contempt for violating an order of protection against another woman. Batease faces 25 years to life on the second-degree murder count. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to return to court Nov. 29.